Fluorescent lamp socket



Nov. 22, 1949 c. D. McCANN FLUORESCENT LAMP SOCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23, 1948 Nov. 22, 1949 c. D. M CANN FLUORESCENT LAMP SOCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug 23, 1948 fawn/or 5 6532)? whee 1 2221 7 v Qfifild, "W

Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP SOCKET Glyde -D. McGann, Des Moines, Iowa Application Augustz3, 194 8, 'S'er'ial'No. 455641 sol-aims. (01. 173 -323) The principal-objectof my invention is to providea socket-oi fluorescent light tubes that per- 'mit-s both the rapid placement of a tube thereon or removal of a tube therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide "a fluorescent light tube socket that eliminates the usual rotating'of the tube to fasten and -electrically connect it.

-A still furtherobject of my invention is to provide a fluorescent light tubesocket that-successignate the cup portion. These cup portions may be attached to a wall or ceiling by any :suitable means, however, usually some kind of bracketlis used. I have used the numeral M to :designate a hollow bracket. Such brackets are usually secured to the cup by extending through a hole in I the rear side portion of the 'cupand then riveted fully makes and maintains electric con-tact with tube being held in two of my sockets and with dotted lines illustrating the placement or detach- 'ment ofth'e tube in or from the sockets.

Fig. 2 is aside sectional w'iewo r my socket.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the socket taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. A is an exploded perspective view of my socket and more fully illustratesits construction.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal "sectional view of the socket taken on :line 5-.5sof :Fig. 2.

Fluorescent light tubes haveatteach end two contact rod points II and [2. Many types of sockets have been produced to *hol'd'such light tubes. Obviously, two sockets are employed to hold a tube due to .the fact th-atzssuch tubesihave two contactrodpoints at each-end. Usuallyfsuch 's'ockets have receiving grooves 'for these -;po'in;ts I

and the usual method is to place the tubes in place and then rotate the tube until electric contact is accomplished. Obviously, such an operation is not easy to perform and electrical contact construction makesa rigid support.

23 and 24.

end of thesleeveplate of insulating material in the forward-tend therein, or upset to provide a head 15. Usually a peripheral welt l Sis formed around the-bracket arm just outside of the cup shell to preventthe bracket sliding further into the cup. Obviously, the head It formed on the end of the bracket prevents its withdrawal from the cup. Such The numeral H designates a collarslidably placed .in the cup and having a cutout portion 18 to receive and embrace the head I5, as shown in Fig. 5.

This construction prevents :the independent rotation of the collar :when in place in the bottom portion of the cup. The numeral 19 designates an inwardly turned flange on the forward marginal edge of the collar. Extending radially-in- 'wardlyfromthe inner edge of the .fiange are two diametrically opposed lugs 25) and 2L The numeral 22 designates a sleeve :slidably extending into the collar and :having two evenly :spaced apart longitudinally extending grooves :23 'and 24 in its outer side wall foriembracingzthe :tw'ol-ugs 20 and 2|, respectively. By this construction the sleeve may slide inwardly .and outwardly in the collar but is prevented fromindependentrotation thereto, due to the lugs =2'0'and.2 l.,-and thagrooves So that the sleeve may freely slide inwardly without contacting the :bracket. head l5, it has a cut-away portion flfi 'in its rear end portion, as shown in Fig. 4. Theinumeralztid'esignates an inwardly turned flangeonitheforward The numerallzl designates a of the sleeve and to the rear :of the' -iiange =29. The numeral 28 designates a similar plate of fnon-"cond-uctive material .on the fr on-t :ofthe These two sleeve and forward of the flange 26. plates are secured together and to the forward end of the sleeve by bolts, rivets, or like 29. The numerals Iii) and 3! designate two holes diametrically opposed to each other and extending through the plate 28, as shown in Fig. 4. The numerals 32 and S3 designate two contact members secured through the plate 2'! and registering with the holes 39 and 3!, respectively. The two electric lead wires 34 and 35 extend through the bracket, into the cup, and then are secured to the contact members 32 and 33, respectively. Sufiicient slack of the flexible lead vires are present in the cup to permit the sleeve to move forwardly and backwardly in the collar. The numeral 3B designates an outwardly turned flange on the rear marginal edge of the sleeve. This flange is capable of engaging the inwardly turned flange on collar for limiting the forward sliding movement of the sleeve. The numeral 31 designates a coil spring embracing the sleeve, having one end bearing on the flange on the forward end of the collar, and its other end bearing on the plate 28, as shown in the drawings. This spring yieldingly holds the sleeve in a forward position relative to the collar. To assemble the device it is merely necessary to force the collar and parts connected thereto into the cup, as shown in Fig. 2. The collar makes frictional contact with the inside wall of the cup. With two such sockets, properly held and spaced apart, it is a simple matter to attach a fluorescent light tube in and between the sockets. The tube end is pushed into one socket with its two contact rod points extending into the holes 39 and 3| of that socket. Obviously, this movement into the socket will force the sleeve of the socket inwardly and thereby permit the other end of the tube to move in front of the other socket. By permitting this other end of the tube to enter the second socket, its two contact ends will be aligned with and will enter the holes 30 and 3! of such second socket, thereby completing the electrical connection. As the springs of both sockets are similar in strength they will equalize each other and one end of the tube will be extending into one socket and its other end will be extending into the other socket, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby fastening the tube in the sockets. To remove the tube, it is merely necessary to force the tube in one direction so that its end will clear one of the sockets and then lift outwardly as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my light socket without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a fluorescent light socket, a cup, a hollow bracket extending into said cup and having a head inside said cup, a collar inside said cup and having a cut-away portion embracing said head, an inwardly turned flange on the forward end of said collar, a sleeve slidably extending into said collar, two longitudinal grooves in the outer side of said sleeve, two lugs formed on said flange extending into said two grooves, respectively, an outwardly turned flange on the rear end of said sleeve, an inwardly turned flange on the forward end of said sleeve, a plate on the inside forward end of said sleeve, a plate at the forward end of said sleeve; said two plates being of non-conductive material, a means for securing said two plates together, two holes extending through said second plate, two contact members on said first plate and registering with said two holes, respectively, two electric lead wires extending through said bracket, into said cup and secured to said contact members, respectively, and a coil spring embracing said sleeve having one end bearing on said first mentioned flange and its other end bearing on said second mentioned plate.

2. In a fluorescent light socket, a cup, a hollow bracket extending into said cup and having a head inside said cup, a collar inside said cup and having a cut-away portion embracing said head, an inwardly turned flange on the forward end of said collar, a sleeve slidably extending into said collar, two longitudinal grooves in the outer side of said sleeve, two lugs formed on said flange extending into said two grooves, respectively, an outwardly turned flange on the rear end of said sleeve, an inwardly turned flange on the forward end of said sleeve, a plate on the inside forward end of said sleeve, a plate at the forward end of said sleeve; said two plates being of non-conductive material, a means for securing said two plates together, two holes extending through said second plate, two contact members on said first plate and registering with said two holes, respectively, two electric lead wires extending through said bracket, into said cup and secured to said contact members, respectively, a coil spring embracing said sleeve having one end bearing on said first mentioned flange and its other end bearing on said second mentioned plate, and a cut-away portion in said sleeve for clearance with said head.

3. In a fluorescent light socket, a cup, a hollow bracket extending into said cup and having a head inside said cup, a collar inside said cup and having a cut-away portion embracing said head,

.an inwardly turned flange on the forward end of said collar, a sleeve slidably extending into said collar, a means for yieldingly holding said sleeve forward relative to said collar, a non-conductive plate member secured to the forward end of said CLYDE D. MCCANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,594,734 Jacobi Aug. 3, 1926 2,382,878 Holecek Aug. 14, 1945 2,384,956 Mueller Sept. 18, 1945 

